Sally Meikle's life has revolved around food for more than 20 years. From restaurant kitchens in London to teaching Epicurean Workshop classes and catering in New Zealand, she has always been involved with cuisine in one way or another. The one food she has constantly been passionate about is chocolate.
She started playing around with making chocolates in her spare time and when she made them for Christmas one year, everyone said she should really think about going commercial with it. She continued to experiment and made some for a school fundraiser. As luck would have it, someone from Farro Fresh was also at that fundraiser and after tasting the chocolates insisted that Sally go to see her.
That was five years ago and it's been full steam ahead for Colestown Chocolates since. "We love it," says Sally, whose husband Tim now helps with marketing. "What we make is pretty special as it's all fresh. The chocolates last only six weeks as we don't put preservatives in them. These are not to be looked at and saved - but eaten and enjoyed."
They are exquisite and there is something for every type of chocolate lover - crispy praline in soft smooth milk chocolate ganache; dark chocolate and chilli ganache layered with mango and white chocolate; roasted almond and candied orange peel nougat dipped in dark chocolate; limoncello; passionfruit and grand marnier; chilli and manuka honey.
These are definitely a luxury item but entirely worth it for the taste. Handmade in small batches using fresh nuts, honey, fruits and liqueurs, they would make a fabulous gift for a real chocolate lover. These are not to be crammed blindly into your mouth while watching Oprah but rather savoured and lingered over properly.
